Srila Prabhupada speaks on: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.16.23

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.16.23

Los Angeles, July 13, 1974

Audio for this lecture: https://prabhupadavani.org/transcriptions/740713sbla/
Prabhupada Radio: https://prabhupadaradio.com

Prabhupāda: [leads singing of Jaya Rādhā-Mādhava] [prema-dhvani]

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

[05:18]

Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [Prabhupāda and devotees repeat] [leads chanting of verse, etc.]

advāmba te bhūri-bharāvatāra-
kṛtāvatārasya harer dharitri
antarhitasya smaratī visṛṣṭā
karmāṇi nirvāṇa-vilambitāni
[SB 1.16.23]

[break] [07:54]

Prabhupāda: Here mother earth, Dharitrī, "O Earth." Earth is being addressed. "The whole world is perturbed because the Kali-yuga has begun." Five thousand years ago, when the Kali-yuga began, so all persons were alarmed = "Now the Kali-yuga is begun. So many catastrophes will come in."

So one instruction is that the earth is addressed "amba." Amba means mother. So the earth is also our mother. There are seven kinds of mother = ādau-mātā guroḥ patnī. Real mother, from whose womb we have taken birth, she is called ādau-mātā, first mother. Then second mother, the guroḥ patnī. Guru means teacher or spiritual master. His wife, she's also... Actually, according to strict moral instruction... Why strict? Ordinary. Any woman except his own wife is mother. Any woman. It doesn't matter whether she is elderly or young. No. That is the way. Still in India, any woman by unknown person, he can address any woman "Mother." The first relationship is mother. Now they have introduced "Sister," "Bahinajī." No, that is not Vedic etiquette. No bahinajī. Bahinajī means sister. Mother. Everyone should be addressed. We should learn this. Except one's one wife, all women should be addressed as "Mother." This is civilization. Then there will be no corrupt relation. If you, from the very beginning, you establish your relationship with other women as mother, then there is no question of other relationship.

So here it is instructed. Even the earth is addressed as mother. According to śāstra, Dharitrī is one of the mothers, seven mothers.

ādau-mātā guroḥ patnī
brāhmaṇī rāja-patnikā
dhenur dhātrī tathā pṛthvī
saptaitā mātaraḥ smṛtāḥ
[Nīti Śāstra]

There are seven kinds of mother. Real mother, then a spiritual master or teacher's wife, guroḥ patnī. Brāhmaṇī, the wife of a brāhmaṇa. Ādau-mātā guroḥ patnī brāhmaṇī rāja-patnikā. And the queen, the wife of the king. Dhenu, cow; dhenur dhātrī, maidservant, nurse. Because it was also formerly the practice, rich man; or mother is not..., unable to suck breast milk. So they used to employ young girls who has also children, otherwise there is no milk supplied. So that is also mother. As Kṛṣṇa took Pūtanā as mother... Pūtanā came to kill Kṛṣṇa, smearing poison over her breast. And Kṛṣṇa sucked the milk and her life also. But Kṛṣṇa took her as her [His] mother. This is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa did not take the black side. The intention was to kill Kṛṣṇa, Pūtanā came. But who can kill Kṛṣṇa? That is not possible. But Kṛṣṇa thought Himself as obligation, that "I have sucked her breast. So she is My mother. She must be given the position of mother." So Pūtanā, after being killed, she was given the same opportunity as Mother Yaśodā. This is Kṛṣṇa. Bhāva-grāhī-janārdanaḥ. Any way you serve Kṛṣṇa, it will be accepted. Not any way; I mean to say, we should serve Kṛṣṇa according to regulative principle. Still, some way or other, unknowing or knowingly, if you render some service, that is called ajñāta-sukṛti.

Ajñāta means without your knowledge you are advancing in spiritual life. That is called ajñāta-sukṛti. You do not know. But the system is so nice... Just like our this class is going on. These children, they are dancing, they are offering obeisances, they are offering a flower. They do not know what they are doing, but it will not go in vain. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. These things are becoming assets, one after another. Just like if you keep money in the bank, daily you save, it is increasing your bank balance; similarly, these children, although they do not know what is this class, what is Prabhupāda speaking, why we are offering... They are imitating. They are imitating, offering obeisances. We used to do so. Every children, every child does so. So if the mother is a devotee, the child automatically becomes a devotee, without any effort. If the father, mother is devotee... Therefore śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo sanjāyate [Bg. 6.41]. Kṛṣṇa says that those who are yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ, could not fulfill the whole program of devotional service, some way or other fallen down, so they are given chance, another chance. What is that chance? The chance is he is given a human form of life and born in a devotee's house, so that from the very beginning of life he will again be in connection with devotional service. So these children, they are not ordinary children. Formerly, they were also devotees, somehow or other, could not fulfill the whole program. Now Kṛṣṇa has given the chance to take birth in the womb of a devotee mother so that from the very beginning of life they're learning devotional service. So the mother, father also should be careful, that "They are Vaiṣṇavas, they have come under my care. So that he may not be spoiled, let him become a perfect Vaiṣṇava, and his life become perfect." This is... This is very nice program.

So Mother Dharitrī... Dharitrī is mother. So he's asking whether mother is lamenting because Kṛṣṇa... Bhūri-bharāvatāra-kṛtāvatārasya hareḥ. After the Battle of Kurukṣetra, Kṛṣṇa disappeared from this earth. Kṛṣṇa went back to His abode. So Kṛṣṇa comes here, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām [Bg. 4.8]. So Kṛṣṇa appeared to kill so many demons at that time. Whenever there will be demons, Kṛṣṇa will come. At the present moment, now, the world is full of demons. Therefore Kṛṣṇa has come in the form of Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: That is Kṛṣṇa avatāra. Kali-yuge nāma-rūpe avatāra. So don't think that Kṛṣṇa, this vibration "Kṛṣṇa," is different from that Kṛṣṇa. The same Kṛṣṇa. The same Kṛṣṇa. If you say that "Why He does not come to kill the demons?" that is His great sympathy, mercy, that you are already killed. You see? What another killing? So we are already dead. Therefore we are so fallen that it does not require any more killing. Mercifulness. You see? The demons... Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa, merciful. Pāpī tāpī jata chilo hari-nāme uddhārilo. All the demons, full of sinful activities, they are to be delivered by this weapon, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise, killing is going on.

So it is now sympathy. Therefore when Jagāi-Mādhāi insulted Nityānanda, immediately Caitanya Mahāprabhu came and wanted to kill them. Nityānanda Prabhu reminded, "Sir, You have promised in this Your incarnation will not kill." So then He was satisfied and delivered the demons. Delivered the demons. Nityānanda Prabhu is therefore so kind. Nityānanda Prabhu is guru. He's so kind that in spite of being injured by Jagāi-Mādhāi, He delivered them. He requested Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām [Bg. 4.8]. There was two section. One section, sādhu, and one section, demon. That was the idea. Even when Kṛṣṇa appeared, there were two section. Now everyone is demon. Then if the killing program is taken, then [Hindi], then everything will be finished. Therefore there is no killing program by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. It is killing program---it is killing the sinful activities. Pāpī tāpī jata chilo hari-nāme uddhārilo. Simply by chanting. He'll not be killed, but his activities, sinful activities, will be killed. This is the program.

So the mother earth was lamenting, "Now Kṛṣṇa has gone. Who will give us protection?" But Kṛṣṇa gives protection. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca... [Bg. 4.8]. Two, two different duties = to give protection to the sādhus, to the devotees, and to kill the demons. So... Another word is used = antarhitasya smaratī visṛṣṭā karmāṇi nirvāṇa-vilambitāni. Nirvāṇa-karma. This is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Try to understand seriously. We are here in this life, human form of life. We should not be lazy. Laziness is not required. Karmāṇi. We should be active. What for? Now, nirvāṇa. Nirvāṇa means finishing this material life. That is called nirvāṇa. The Buddha philosophy, they take it nirvāṇa. Their philosophy is nirvāṇa, means to stop the feelings of pains and pleasure. So their philosophy is that the pains and pleasure... Not only their philosophy; we also know. Bhagavad-gītā also says. Mātrā-sparśās tu śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ [Bg. 2.14]. The, the worldly pains and pleasure---what is due to? It is due to this material body. Mātrā-sparśāḥ. Mātrā means the skin. Because we have got this skin, in winter, the water is there, we feel pain, pinching. And because it is summer, the same water---pleasing. So the condition of the skin, according to the season, is changing. Therefore we are feeling pains and pleasure. Otherwise there is no pain, pleasure. Just try to understand. Because we are covered by the skin, therefore we are feeling pains and pleasure. If you become uncovered, free from the skinly covering, then there is no pains and pleasure.

So that is our main business, how to get out of this material body of skins and bones. That is real business. But these rascals, they do not know what is real business. They want to maintain the skin and bone by another skin and bone. That is their program. So it is foolish civilization. They do not know what is civilization, what is the aim of life, what we should do. Nothing, no program. Simply just like animals, and kill animals and eat and be merry. And to digest meat, you drink also. One after another. As soon as there is drinking, then there is illicit sex. And so many things complicated. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā warns, yajñārthe karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ [Bg. 3.9]. You must work. You should not be idle. But yajñārthe: for Kṛṣṇa. Then you'll not be implicated. Otherwise, you'll be implicated. By the grace of māyā, you'll be so implicated that you have got this human form of life, and after giving up this body, you'll have to accept, according to your karma, one of the 8,400,000 species of life; maybe it may be a tree, it may be a cat, it may be a dog, or it may be something lower grade.

Because in this age our activities are all sinful, lower grade. Therefore you cannot expect higher-grade life. That is not possible. Higher-grade life you can get. You can go in the higher planetary systems. You can get long duration of life, better comforts, better nice body. There are arrangement. Svargaloka. Bhūr bhuva... Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyaṁ bhargo devasya dhīmahi... This is gāyatrī. There are three lokas = bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ. So svaḥ, heavenly, they've no some information, there is heavenly planet. Actually there is. There are... Svargaloka is not so very comfortable. Above the Svargaloka there is Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Satyaloka, Brahmaloka, like that, seven lokas. So who will go there? Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ [Bg. 14.18]. If you are situated in the modes of goodness, then you can be promoted to the higher planetary system. And madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ, and if you are in the modes of passion, then you'll remain within this bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ, three worlds. And jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ, and if you are simply in darkness, you do not know how to enjoy spiritual life or material life, just like cats and dogs, then you'll have to be degraded. You take the body of trees, plants, lower animals, insect, worms of the stool, and so many things. So one should know that.

So nirvāṇa. Actually, there is no benefit. Even if I go to the highest planetary system, with very, very long duration of life and material comfort, that is not actual benefit. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna [Bg. 8.16] = "My dear Arjuna, even if you are promoted to the Brahmaloka, the highest planetary system, still, it is not safe, because the death is there. And if you come to My place, no, there is no more..." That is called nirvāṇa. Our business is to finish this material existence and go back to home, back to... That is real business.

So here the Dharmarāja is lamenting, "On account of absence of Kṛṣṇa, our real business, nirvāṇa, is being delayed. Therefore, are you lamenting, mother?" So Kṛṣṇa is so kind that although He's not present at the present moment, still, in the form of His holy name He's present. You can take still advantage of Kṛṣṇa's name by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. You can take. Don't think that when you chant "Kṛṣṇa," this name Kṛṣṇa is different from the Kṛṣṇa person. No. They are the same.

nāma cintāmaṇiḥ kṛṣṇaś
caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ
pūrṇaḥ śuddho nitya-mukto
'bhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ
[Cc. Madhya 17.133]

This is the śāstric injunction. Abhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ. Nāma, the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa, they're not different. Abhinna. Abhinna means not separate; the same. So take advantage of this life, and take advantage of this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and make your life successful.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda. [end]

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Srila Prabhupada speaks on: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.16.20

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.16.20

Honolulu, Jan. 16, 1974

Audio for this lecture: https://prabhupadavani.org/transcriptions/740116sbhon/
Prabhupada Radio: https://prabhupadaradio.com

Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [devotees repeat] [leads chanting of verse, etc.]

pādair nyūnaṁ śocasi maika-pādam
ātmānaṁ vā vṛṣalair bhokṣyamāṇam
āho surādīn hṛta-yajña-bhāgān
prajā uta svin maghavaty avarṣati
[SB 1.16.20]

[break] [01:34]

Translation = "I have lost my three legs and am now standing on one only. Are you lamenting for my state of existence? Or are you in great anxiety because henceforward the unlawful meat-eaters will exploit you? Or are you in a sorry plight because the demigods are now bereft of their share of sacrificial offerings because no sacrifices are being performed at present? Or are you grieving for living beings because of their sufferings due to famine and drought?"

Prabhupāda: Read the purport. Read. Long purport.

Pradyumna: "With the progress of the age of Kali, four things particularly, namely the duration of life, mercy, the power of recollection, and moral or religious principles will gradually diminish. Since dharma, or the principles of religion, would be lost in the proportion of three out of four, the symbolic bull was standing on one leg only. When three-fourths of the population of the whole world become irreligious, the situation is converted into hell for the animals. In the age of Kali, godless civilizations will create so many so-called religious societies in which the Personality of Godhead will be directly or indirectly defied. And thus faithless societies of men will make the world uninhabitable for the saner section of people. There are gradations of human beings in terms of proportionate faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The first-class..."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Go on.

Pradyumna: "The first-class faithful men are the Vaiṣṇavas and the brāhmaṇas, then the kṣatriyas, then the vaiśyas, then the śūdras, then the mlecchas, the yavanas, and at last the caṇḍālas. The degradation of the human instinct begins from the mlecchas..."

Prabhupāda: Caṇḍālas means the dog-eaters. In the human society, the division of higher class and lower class is determined by the standard of eating. So first-class men, just like brāhmaṇa, Vaiṣṇava, they eat very purified prasādam. Their responsibility is practically does not depend on them. Because Vaiṣṇava... Brāhmaṇa also. Without becoming a brāhmaṇa, nobody can become Vaiṣṇava. So when you speak of Vaiṣṇava, it is to be supposed that he's already brāhmaṇa. Therefore, to bring the neophyte devotees to the perfectional stage, we offer the brāhmaṇa's sacred thread. But if people, after promising everything, and break their promise, that is very abominable. When they're initiated before the Deity, before the Lord, before the fire, they should not break it. That is most sinful if you break your promise. Otherwise, you should not be coming forward for initiation if you cannot keep your promise.

So the first-class, second-class, third-class, fourth-class men are considered according to the guṇa and karma, quality and work. That is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāg.., er, Bhagavad-gītā, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. That is the system; not by force one can become first class. According to the śāstra, who is first class, who is second class, who is third class, who is fourth class, who is fifth class, that is to be understood. Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ. So when one becomes above the guṇas by devotional service... Guṇa means quality. A devotee is on the position of first-class human society because a devotee is engaged in devotional service. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā,

māṁ ca 'vyabhicāreṇa
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa guṇān samatītyaitān
brahma-bhūyāya kalpate
[Bg. 14.26]

"Anyone who is engaged cent percent without any motive in the devotional service of the Lord," māṁ ca 'vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena, bhakti-yogena, avyabhicāreṇa, "without any adulteration, such person," māṁ ca 'vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate, sa guṇān... Guṇān means these material qualities = goodness, passion and ignorance. These are guṇas. Sa guṇān samatītya, samah atītya, "fully transcendental, fully surpassing." Brahma-bhūyāya kalpate: "Then that is the stage of self-realization."

So if one is not even on the stage of self-realization, how he can teach others? That is cheating. That is cheating. If one is not a graduate, if he becomes a teacher, he is not a teacher, he is a cheater. One must be first of all qualified. That qualification means one must be above the three qualities of material nature. Goodness... Even you have to go beyond the quality of goodness. In the material world we have made, concocted, "This is good; this is bad." So even taking it... Actually, everything in the material world is bad. Anything. It is simply mental concoction. We are creating, "This is good; this is bad." The... So long one is in the material world, everything is bad. Even the so-called religious practice, that is also bad in the material world. So therefore Bhagavad-gītā says, sa guṇān samatītya etān: "One has to transcend even the quality of goodness, the so-called goodness."

Actually there is no goodness, because here people dress like in the platform of goodness, but thinking just like animals. That kind of goodness has no value. Actually goodness, that goodness is sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate [Bg. 14.26], when one transcends the qualities of material nature, above the brāhmaṇa quality. Brāhmaṇa quality is... Suppose... Suppose actually, in comparison to other qualities, that is the first-class quality. Satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavam..., eh? Jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam [Bg. 18.42]. When one is situated in these qualities---truthfulness, satyam; śamaḥ, controlling the senses; damaḥ, controlling the mind; śamo dama titikṣā, tolerant---in spite of all tribulation, tolerant---śamo dama titikṣā śaucam, cleanliness. Then jñānam, full knowledge. Full knowledge means "What I am, what is God, what is this material world, what is our relationship." That is called knowledge. And that knowledge, when practically applied in life, that is called vijñānam. Vijñānam. Vijñānam āstikyam. Āstikyam, full faith in the śāstras and in God, that is called āstikyam. If you have full faith in the revealed scriptures, then you are āstikya.

Because you cannot manufacture your God, so-called incarnation God. No. You must have full knowledge of God through the authority of revealed scriptures. That is God consciousness. If you give up the injunction of the scripture, revealed scripture, you consider something as God, that is not God. Or you consider something as religion, that is not religion. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ, na siddhim sa avāpnoti [Bg. 16.23]. If you become abhorrent to the injunction of the śāstras, then na sukhaṁ sāvāpnoti, you'll never get happiness. Na sukham..., yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ, na..., na siddhim sa avāpnoti. There is no question of siddhi, perfection, neither there is question of happiness, na sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatim, and what to speak of going back to home, back to Godhead. It is useless.

Therefore we must abide by the sādhu-śāstra-guru. [banging sound] [aside:] Ah, what is this sound, is going on now? You can ask somebody to stop. Sādhu means saintly person. Śāstra means revealed scriptures. Sādhu, śāstra and guru, spiritual master. So we must follow the footprints of saintly person, mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ [Cc. Madhya 17.186]. That is the way. We have to follow great superior personalities, just like ṣaḍ-gosvāmī. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, ei chay gosāi jār tār mui dāsa: "I become servant, servant or disciple, of such a person who follows the footprints of the six Gosvāmīs." Otherwise one becomes guru, anyone, just like nowadays they become. They are manufacturing guru. Guru is not manufactured. Guru is in the disciplic succession, one who is strictly follows the footsteps of the ṣaḍ-gosvāmīs. Ei chay gosāi jār. Anyone who is following the footsteps of the gosvāmīs, Rūpa Gosvāmī... Rūpa Gosvāmī gives his Upadeśāmṛta instruction = vāco vegam, krodha-vegam, udaro-vegam, upastha-vegam, jihvā-vegam, mano vegam, etān vegān yo viṣaheta dhīraḥ pṛthivīṁ sa śiṣyāt [NoI 1] This is the injunction given by Rūpa Gosvāmī. Vāco vegaṁ. Vāco vegaṁ means the force of talking, vegam. What is the meaning, vegam?

Nitāi: Control. Pushing. Urge.

Prabhupāda: Urge, yes. Just like I am talking some nonsense. That is the vāco vegam; it has no value. We should fix something which has value, one who can control. It is better not to talk than to talk foolish. So that is the world. All foolish talking or foolish literature, it has no value. So it has to be controlled. That is called controlling the vāco vegam. Krodha-vegam. Krodha means anger. So it has also urge. Suppose I am insulted by somebody. Naturally I'll be angry, but if I can control, "All right, let me... He's a foolish. He has done. Why shall I lose my temper?" that is called controlling krodha-vegam. Vāco vegaṁ krodha-vegam, manasa-vegam, mind. It has got so many urges. Mind is driving practically, "Let us go there, let us go there, let us do this, let us..." Never mind sinful or pious, mind is always dictating and rejecting.

So vāco vegaṁ krodha..., manasaḥ-vegam, krodha-vegam, udara-vegam. Udara-vegam is the urge of the belly = "I shall eat this, I shall eat that, I shall eat that." Why? Simply you shall eat bhagavat-prasādam. Prasāde sarva-duḥkhānam [Bg. 2.65]. Then udara-vegam, and upastha-vegam, the urge of the genital. That is the most important. The jihvā-vegam, jihvā-vegam, udara-vegam, then genital, the straight line. So if one can control the urge of these three things... Tā'ra madhye jihvā ati, lobhamoy sudurmati. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says that out of the urges of the tongue and other senses, down to the genital, up... There are many urges = urge of the mind, urge of the anger, urge of the talking, urge of the tongue, then belly, then genital. In this way, we are driven by so many urges. So out of that, the strongest enemy is our tongue, is our tongue, jihvā-vegam. If one can control the urges of the tongue then he will be naturally able to stop the urges of the belly and the urges of the genital, three straight line.

So these are to be practiced. Etān vegān yo viṣaheta dhīraḥ [NoI 1] = "One who has become successful in controlling the urges of all these things," pṛthivīṁ sa śiṣyāt, "now he's free to make disciples all over the world." And they're not, that... I cannot control even my tongue and control my genital, and I become spiritual master? This is nonsense. This is nonsense. You learn first of all. Try to control. Become first-class controller, dhīraḥ. That is called dhīraḥ: not disturbed by any urges. Etān vegān yo viṣaheta dhīraḥ. Dhīras tatra na muhyati. This word is used, dhīraḥ. Dhīraḥ means very sober, fully controlled. That is called dhīraḥ. Dhīras tatra na muhyati. Unless you become dhīraḥ, you cannot understand what is spiritual life. That is not possible. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati [Bg. 2.13]. Dhīras tatra na muhyati.

So you cannot understand even. Unless you become a dhīraḥ, you cannot understand what is spiritual life, what is spirit. It is not a bogus thing, that I manufacture something, concoct something, and do something, and I become a leader, I become a spiritual master. This is all nonsense. Dhīras tatra na muhyati. The word is dhīraḥ, and dhīraḥ is explained in the Kumāra-sambhava, that dhīraḥ... Just like Lord Śiva. Lord Śiva lost his wife; she committed suicide before her father. That's in Dakṣa-yajña, was learned about Dakṣa-yajña. So Lord Śiva was performing yoga practice meditation, and in the meantime, his wife Devī, she took birth as daughter of Himalaya, King of Himalaya, Pārvatī. So the..., there was fight between the demigods and the demons. So there was a plan that "If by the semina of Lord Śiva one son is born, Kārttikeya, then he'll be able to kill these demons; otherwise, it is very difficult."

So Lord Śiva was engaged in meditation after the death of his wife. In the meantime, his wife took birth in the Himalaya. So now he..., he has to be induced to unite with this Pārvatī. So there was plan made. The plan made that Pārvatī, young age, beautiful girl, and Lord Śiva is meditating naked, and he [she] was offering worshipable flowers on the genital. Still, he was not disturbed. Young girl touching the genital of a person, but he is not disturbed. That is dhīraḥ; that is the example of perfection of dhīraḥ. Even in the presence of being agitated, one who is not agitated, that is called dhīraḥ. Otherwise, everyone becomes agitated. That is natural. A young boy sees another young man or a young man sees another young girl---natural sex appetite, natural. But one who can control that, that is dhīraḥ. That is dhīraḥ. Dhīras tatra na muhyati. That is yoga practice. That is yoga practice, controlling = "When there will be need, I shall use it."

Just like Kardama Muni. Kardama Muni was given the best, beautiful daughter of King Manu. So she was simply serving, not that immediately coming and sexually inclined. She was... So Kardama Muni saw that "This girl came to me, and I have accepted her as my wife, but she is engaged fully, although she is the prince, the daughter of king, very great king. But I'm not giving her any comfort. She has become lean and thin, skinny, but engaged." So he promised that "I am accepting your daughter, but as soon as she will have some children, then I'll leave her. On this condition, I can accept your daughter." The father came with the daughter, that "My daughter has selected you as the proper husband. Please accept her." So he accepted, but he made this condition that "As soon as your daughter will have some children, then I'll leave home. Then I'll accept."

So these are the examples, how to become dhīraḥ. It is not spiritual consciousness, it is not so easy thing that you can go. But by the grace of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, it is being easily distributed. That is the grace of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. But if we misuse it, even this facility, we do not know what is the aim of life, then we are missing the opportunity. So go on reading.

Pradyumna: "The degradation of the human instinct begins from the mlecchas, and the caṇḍāla state of life is the last word in human degradation. All the above terms mentioned in the Vedic literatures..."

Prabhupāda: This is first-class life, satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam [Bg. 18.42]. And the lowest class of life... Practically, nowadays all lowest class of life, the life of a caṇḍāla, dog-eaters. So this is the description in the śāstra. Go on.

Pradyumna: "All the above terms mentioned in the Vedic literatures are never meant for any particular community or birth..."

Prabhupāda: It is not that because one has taken birth in the lowest class family---śvapaca, caṇḍāla, dog-eaters---it does not mean that he'll have to remain in that position. Just like uneducated person = It is not that he'll have to remain in that uneducated standard, but he can become educated. He can become educated. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that there is no check on any particular person, community, to become God conscious. Because God Himself says, Kṛṣṇa says, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ. Pāpa-yoni, to take birth in lower class of human society, is called pāpa-yoni. But Kṛṣṇa says, "Never mind, pāpa-yoni.

māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya
ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ
striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās
te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim
[Bg. 9.32]

Formerly, in the Vedic civilization, even women and śūdra and vaiśya, they were also considered amongst the pāpa-yoni, what to speak of others. But Kṛṣṇa says, "Never mind whatever pāpa-yoni one may be." Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya: "If one takes shelter of My devotee," vyapāśritya, "and works under his direction, then..." Vyapa. That is called vyapāśritya. Viśeṣa rūpeṇa āśritya. "Then he also...," te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim, "he can also go back to home, back to Godhead." There is no bar.

But one has to purify himself by the purificatory process. That is called saṁskāra. Saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. By purificatory process, one becomes purified, and purified means no more sinful life. That is purification. Yeṣāṁ anta-gataṁ pāpam. One who is fully freed from sinful activities:

yeṣāṁ anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ
janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām
te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā
bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ
[Bg. 7.28]

So kṛṣṇa-bhajana is not very difficult. Simply we have to follow the four principles of sinful life = no illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxication, no meat-eating. And chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and be happy.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. [end]

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Srila Prabhupada speaks on: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.16.12

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.16.12

Los Angeles, Jan. 9, 1974

Audio for this lecture: https://prabhupadavani.org/transcriptions/740109sbla/
Prabhupada Radio: https://prabhupadaradio.com

Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [devotees repeat] [leads chanting of verse, etc.]

bhadrāśvaṁ ketumālaṁ ca
bhārataṁ cottarān kurūn
kimpuruṣādīni varṣāṇi
vijitya jagṛhe balim
[SB 1.16.12]

[break] [03:00]

Translation = "Mahārāja Parīkṣit then conquered all parts of the earthly planet---Bhadrāśva, Ketumāla, Bhārata, the northern portion of Kuru-jāṅgala, Kimpuruṣa, etc.---and exacted tributes from their respective rulers."

Prabhupāda: So in this verse it is descriptive, different parts of the world. So the important word is here, vijitya jagṛhe balim. Balim [referring to synonyms], I do not know how it is said "strength." Tax, tributes. The king, the emperor, would conquer a country and levy tax. Must give at least token. Doesn't matter even one pound or one dollar per year, but he must pay something, token. That means he agrees to become subordinate. Just like according to rent act, a poor man must pay something---it may be; in our country it is so---so that the landlord have the claim. Without rent, after some years it becomes his property.

So this conquering of other countries was not like the Napoleon conqueror or Hitler conqueror. No. As it will be evident from the character of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, the idea was to keep the whole world Kṛṣṇa conscious. If certain countries, certain portion of the world, would not be Kṛṣṇa conscious, then this king would go and chastise them. Just like Kṛṣṇa used to kill the demons. There was one Pauṇḍraka. Even during Kṛṣṇa's time, he placed himself as Viṣṇu. He artificially made four hands. So he challenged Kṛṣṇa that "I am Viṣṇu." So Kṛṣṇa immediately cut his head. So any imposter, pretender, representing as the incarnation of God or something like that, in those days the king could not tolerate; immediately cut his head, what to speak of thieves and rogues. So the king's going to other country, conquering, it did not mean that to acquire some possession, land possession. No, that was not the aim.

The aim was... All the fights in Mahābhārata or in Rāmāyaṇa, it was meant for chastising the godless. Godless. Just like Rāmacandra. Rāmacandra, Lord Rāmacandra, chastised Rāvaṇa. So He went to Laṅkā---they call Ceylon---and crossed the sea by making bridge. But what was the idea? The idea was that "This rascal demon is a godless person; so therefore he must be punished." He was punished not alone. Anyone who joined with him, everyone was punished. But Lord Rāmacandra did not occupy the land for His kingdom. He installed his brother Vibhīṣaṇa, who was a devotee, in the place of Rāvaṇa. Just like Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa was taking part in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra and inducing Arjuna that "You fight." Arjuna was not willing to fight, but He was inducing to fight. So what is the purpose? Because the other party represented thieves, rogues and demons.

So Kṛṣṇa wants therefore that somebody must be king who is His representative, devotee. That is the whole plan.

yadā yadā hi dharmasya
glānir bhavati bhārata
abhyutthānam adharmasya
tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham
[Bg. 4.7]

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ
vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām
dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya...
[Bg. 4.8]

This is the purpose, dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya, to establish religious principle. If people become irreligious, then the whole world becomes a hell. Just like at the present moment, anywhere you go, it is hellish condition. Nobody is peaceful, nobody is happy, although materially very much advanced. Political entanglement, social entanglement, religious entanglement, economic entanglement. Simply entanglement. No peaceful living, anywhere. Just like at the present moment, the whole world there is... What is that crisis? Power crisis?

Devotee: Energy crisis.

Prabhupāda: Energy crisis. Energy crisis. So crisis must be there. Otherwise, if you live peacefully, even within so many crisis, war and fighting, we are thinking this world is very nice, in spite of all these difficulties. Especially in the Western countries, every ten years there is a war = First World War, Second World War. Before that, Hundred Years War, Seven Years War, Trafalgar's war, Waterloo war. War, war, war. There cannot be any peaceful life, because everyone is rogue and rascal, so there must be war. There must be punishment by nature.

As soon as there is overpopulation... That is Malthus' theory also, that as soon as there is overpopulation, there must be something disturbance---war, pestilence, epidemic, and finished, finished. The extra population, unnecessary. Varṇa-saṅkara. They are called varṇa-saṅkara. Varṇa-saṅkara... Because by nature there must be brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, by nature. That should be organized. Head is head, tail is tail, not that head, tail, everything is one. That is called varṇa-saṅkara. Kṛṣṇa..., Arjuna has argued that if the family members... If the woman becomes widow, then there will be varṇa-saṅkara population. Varṇa-saṅkara population means a population who cannot say who is his father. That is varṇa-saṅkara. Or who is caste does he belong, what is his father, what is his family. No, nothing, no information. That is called varṇa-saṅkara. So when the varṇa-saṅkara population increases, then the whole world becomes hell.

So in order to save the world to become hellish, the king was so alert. That is..., that is also bhakti. Because the whole natural plan is to come back to home, back to Godhead. This is nature's plan. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā [Bg. 7.14]. Just like the police department. What is the meaning of police department? Why government spends so much money for police department? Just to keep law and order. There must be. As soon as there is disobedience of law and order, immediately police department must go and punish and arrest. We can experience these things. Similarly, by God's side there is such department, police department. That is māyā, Durgādevī. Durgādevī, you have seen. Most of you might not have seen Durgādevī's picture, with trident, trident in the hand. The asura is being attacked by the trident. So this trident means threefold miseries. You have seen the picture, Mother..., Goddess Durgā is piercing the trident just here on the heart. This trident means threefold miseries = adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. I have several times explained = pertaining to the body and mind, pertaining to the other living entities, adhibhautika; adhidaivika, pertaining to the nature's disturbance.

So always we must be disturbed. If everything is all right... Just like in your country, supposing everything is all right. But..., what is that severe disease?

Devotee: Cancer.

Prabhupāda: Cancer. The cancer. People are afraid of cancer. Or something else. Must be. You cannot live peacefully. That is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā [Bg. 7.14]. But the foolish rascals, they cannot understand that "I want to live peacefully, happily. Why these things are enforced upon me?" That is consciousness, real consciousness. Nobody wants to die, nobody wants to suffer from disease, nobody wants to be suffering from any calamity, or nobody wants that there should be fire. Now just see, especially in America we see, dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun, going down, fire brigade. But nobody wanted fire, but the fire brigade is alert because there must be fire somewhere. That is expected. That is expected. And if there is fire, there will be havoc. So nobody wants the havoc, but it takes place. It takes place. This is the nature's law. Because as soon as dharmasya glānir bhavati, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham. There may not be discrepancies in the process of religious life. That is nature's law.

So what is that religion? That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā = sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam [Bg. 18.66]. This is religion, to surrender to God. It doesn't matter what religion you profess. It doesn't matter. But you must learn how to obey the Supreme Lord. That is religion. Religion does not mean that you stamp some stereotype religion, "I am Christian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Buddhist," and then fight. That is not religion. That is fanaticism. Religion means how one has become devoted to God. That is religion. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje [SB 1.2.6]. You claim to be religious, or you claim to be Hindu or Christian or Buddhist. That's all right. But do you know what is God? Oh, everyone silent. Everyone, all nonsense rascals, silent. He does not know what is God. And what is his religion? If you do not know what is God, a vague idea, that is not religion. You must know what is God. Just like to become American citizen, it requires to know something of the history of America. So if American citizen, if you ask him, "What we are?" "Now I am American." "Who is your president?" "I do not know." What is this nonsense, American? Would you like to hear from him that "I do not know who is president"? Similarly, a human being professing some certain type of religion, but you ask him, "What is God?" Religion must be in relationship with God, any religion. But ask him, "What is God?" No answer. But religion means,

sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhokṣaje
ahaituky apratihatā
yenātmā samprasīdati
[SB 1.2.6]

This is religion, first-class religion. What is that first-class religion? Yato bhaktir adhokṣaje, by practicing which one becomes a devotee of the Lord. That is religion. That is religion. So instead of becoming devotee of the Lord, we are devotee of dog. This is our position.

So in order to save the human society from this dangerous condition, without any knowledge of God, without any knowledge of religious principle, there must be some strong king, strong government, to save the people. Because this human life is a chance. Other, inferior type of life, animals, birds, beasts, trees, it is not possible. They are also living entities, but human life is developed consciousness. So this is nature's gift, that "Now you try to understand what is God. Now you try to understand what is your relationship with God. Now you practice yourself, how to go back home, back to home, back to..." This is the business of the human society. So unless the king or government looks after it, how people will be advanced? The government is advocating that "You drink, you eat meat, you have prostitution and gambling, and give me tax. Finished. My business is finished." So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was not like that. Parīkṣit Mahārāja is conquered all these places to serve Kṛṣṇa, to teach Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore he conquered. Otherwise... That is the business of all devotee.

Yesterday we were speaking of digvijaya. So every devotee should be so sincere to Kṛṣṇa, or God, that he must execute Kṛṣṇa's mission. Kṛṣṇa Himself comes. Kṛṣṇa comes as devotee. When He came personally, He established His position as God, with all opulences, six opulences. And He asked, through Arjuna, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66]. This is Kṛṣṇa's demand, "You rascal..." Because we are all parts and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. We are suffering. Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhāni indriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati [Bg. 15.7]. A great struggle for existence within this material world, simply by mental speculation. Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhāni indriyāṇi. And then the indriyas are misguided = simply sense gratification, not for controlling the senses. Human life means to control the senses, not to open the senses, naked. This is not human life. To control. That is the distinction between animal and human life. Animal cannot control. The human civilized man must be..., must have the capacity to control. That is human civilization. That is called tapasya. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa yamena damena vā [SB 6.1.13]. This is human life. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja, in so many ways... He was king, emperor, not for exploiting the citizen, but to give them real sense, real consciousness, so that they may become happy. And you can read some of the description of the places, we have selected from Mahābhārata. [aside:] Read it, purport.

Pradyumna: "Bhadrāśva = It is an island near Meru Parvata. There is a description of this island in Mahābhārata, Bhīṣma-parva, 7.16-18. The description was narrated by Sañjaya to Dhṛtarāṣṭra. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira also conquered this island, and thus the province was included within the jurisdiction of his empire. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was formerly declared to be emperor of all the lands ruled by his grandfather, but still he had to establish his supremacy..."

Prabhupāda: This island might have changed, the name. Because there are so many islands. Just like the Java[?] island and Lakṣadvīpa[?] island, very small islands. Similarly, this Meru is also another island. Not only these small islands, but according to Vedic culture, each planet is called island. Each planet. Just like this planet, earthly planet, is called Jambūdvīpa. Why it is called dvīpa? Dvīpa means island. Because actually it is island of the air. Just like there are so many islands in the sea, similarly, this vast air, outer space, and all these planets are floating like island. Therefore they are called island, dvīpa, Jambūdvīpa. Here in this earthly planet, long, long ago, it is said in the Vedic literatures, sapta-dvīpa. Sapta means seven. So this earthly planet is of seven dvīpa, seven islands. These two Americas, north and south, they are islands. Africa, one island. And combined Asia and Europe, another island. The two poles, two islands. Australia, another island. You see? Sapta-dvīpa. So they say they discovered America. So but this discovery was long, long, many, many millions of years, it was known. Where is the discovery? Their poor fund of knowledge. Because they have no knowledge in the Vedic literature, they think, "Now I discovered." Just like a child born, he thinks, "Now I've discovered the world. Before my birth, there was no world." This kind of knowledge called poor fund of knowledge.

Therefore knowledge must be taken from the Vedic literature. Veda means full knowledge. And that full knowledge, when it is properly utilized, then you can understand Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam [Bg. 15.15]. First of all you have to take to the Vedic literature for real knowledge. And when you come to the platform of real knowledge, then you can understand Kṛṣṇa. Before knowing Kṛṣṇa, you are in darkness. You are in darkness. Because it is said, vedaiś ca sarvaiḥ. Veda means knowledge. The ultimate goal of knowledge is to understand Kṛṣṇa. And therefore it is called Vedānta. Vedānta. Veda means knowledge, and anta means the ultimate. Vedānta. Vedānta philosophy. So Vedānta philosophy gives you direction that what is the object of knowledge. Athāto brahma jijñāsā: "Now object of knowledge is to understand the Supreme, the origin of everything." That is object of knowledge, philosophy. Philosophy means science, anything. Science also trying, "What is the original cause of this creation? Where is the original cause of life?" But because andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ [SB 7.5.31], the so-called philosophers, scientists, they have been taught by another unscientist, not scientist, so he is also not scientist, not philosopher, because he has been taught by another andha. Just like one blind man leads other blind man. So what he will get, knowledge? So therefore, according to Vedic civilization, it is enjoined, it is ordered, that "If you want to take knowledge," tad-vijñānārtham, "to understand the complete science," tad-vijñānārtham, "the spirit," sa gurum eva abhigacchet, "oh, you must approach a bona fide guru." Otherwise there is no knowledge. That is not knowledge.

So Vedic knowledge is so perfect that this Bhārata-varṣa, seven islands. Now the seven islands still there. You cannot make eight or nine, or six. The seven islands are still there. So seven islands means, within seven island, the two Americas, North and South Americas, are there. So why it is called Columbus, Columbus discovered? No. It was already in the Vedic literature. You will find in Śaṅkarācārya's... When Columbus discovered America? How many years ago? Two hundred years?

Devotee: Five hundred.

Prabhupāda: Five hundred years. And Śaṅkarācārya has described about the seven islands 1,500 years ago. So why the credit should go to Columbus? [laughs] It should go to Śaṅkarācārya. But andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ. He says that "I have discovered." So he was talking---perhaps you know this story---he was talking among his friends. So the friends ridiculed another friend. So they were criticizing, "Oh, for nothing you got some credit, that you have discovered America. What you have done? It was already there." So he said, "Yes, that is knowledge. Things are already there, but one who puts it into the forefront of the public, that is credit."

So actually, everything is existing. We have to simply take the knowledge. The modern method is ascending process. The knowledge is there, but still, they are trying to understand it by āroha-panthā, ascending process. It is called inductive knowledge. Inductive knowledge means that... Suppose a man is mortal. So the so-called scientists, they are trying to discover the law, why man is mortal. They are studying, "This man is mortal, this man is mortal, this man is mortal. Therefore it is concluded that all men are mortal. Nobody is immortal." But another man will argue that "You have not studied all the human society. How you can conclude? Therefore we must study." So this study will go on for life after life. They will never come to a person who is immortal. But they will protest that "We cannot accept." But our process is deductive. We say that "Man is mortal," first of all. Therefore "John is a man. He is also mortal." This is deductive process. First of all we accept man is mortal. The inductive process is that "Why shall I accept man is mortal? I may not have seen a person who is immortal." So that argument can be given.

But we accept this Vedic knowledge, the first premise is accept, accepted. Just like we accept that God is the source of everything. God says, Kṛṣṇa says, that,

ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo
mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate
iti matvā bhajante māṁ
budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ
[Bg. 10.8]

Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the origin of everything. Everything emanates from Me." Mattaḥ sarvaṁ prava... Sarvam means everything. There are two things = animate and..., what is the opposite?

Devotees: Inanimate.

Prabhupāda: Inanimate. There are two things. So Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: "I am the source of both animate and inanimate." So Kṛṣṇa... What is Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa is life, supreme life. Kṛṣṇa is not dead. We are getting Kṛṣṇa's description. He is not a dead body. These are things very, I mean to say, elaborately described in the Vedic literature. Just like in Vedānta it is said, "The origin of everything is Brahman." Janmādy asya yataḥ. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Now this origin of everything, what is the formation---animate or inanimate? This is accepted, that Brahman means, the Absolute Truth means, the origin of everything. Now the next question would be that "What is that origin?" The modern scientists, they think the origin is chemical. But we say, "No. It cannot be chemical." Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ [SB 1.1.1]. The origin of everything must be cognizant. He knows everything. Otherwise how He can be origin? It is very logical. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayāt, origin. Just like I have established this institution. I know how it was established perfectly well, and how it is going on. And somebody may not know how it was established in New York with so great difficulty. But because I am the origin, founder, I know. So similarly, so many things are going on in the nature's way. So the origin, He must know everything. And if He knows, then He cannot be inanimate. Where is the possibility of the origin becoming inanimate? No. Because the argument is, if one is origin of everything, or something he is origin of, he must have sense how things are going on.

So that is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam = janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ [SB 1.1.1]. Abhijñaḥ. This word is used. Abhijñaḥ means cognizant. Then if He is the origin of everything, how He got all knowledge perfectly? Therefore the next word is sva-rāṭ: He is fully independent. He doesn't require to take knowledge from anyone else. Otherwise how He can be origin? Sva-rāṭ. Muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ. That origin is so perfect, and still, sūrayaḥ, many scholars, many scientists, philosophers, they are also bewildered, that "How He can be a person?" Muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ. Tene brahma hṛdā ya ādi-kavaye muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ. These things are described.

So actually, if we want to have knowledge of everything, the source of knowledge is Vedas. And the essence of Veda is called Vedānta. And the descriptive explanation of Vedānta is the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam = bhāṣyaṁ brahma-sūtrāṇām. Brahma-sūtra. Brahma-sūtra is the Vedānta philosophy. Kṛṣṇa has also referred to Brahma-sūtra = brahma-sūtra hetumadbhir viniścitaiḥ [Bg. 13.5]. He recommends that hetumadbhir prasthāna. There are three prasthānas, and Brahma-sūtra is also prasthāna, the way of understanding. So Kṛṣṇa has recommended that "If you want to know things with reason and argument, then try to understand Vedānta-sūtra." Those who want to know the Absolute Truth through reasoning and argument, then one should study Vedānta-sūtra. But Vedānta-sūtra... Sūtra means codes. Just like they have got code book. One word, it is meaning so many other things. Businessmen, they have got codes. When they send cable to their customer or to their principle, they use some codes. It saves so many words. So Brahma-sūtra. Sūtra means codes. So in that code also, require explanation. That explanation is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Bhāṣyaṁ brahma-sūtrāṇām. Brahma-sūtrāṇām, the codes explained in the Brahma-sūtra, that is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. [end]

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Srila Prabhupada speaks on: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.16.4

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.16.4

Los Angeles, Jan. 1, 1974

Audio for this lecture: https://prabhupadavani.org/transcriptions/740101sbla/
Prabhupada Radio: https://prabhupadaradio.com

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [devotees repeat] [leads chanting of verse, etc.]

nijagrāhaujasā vīraḥ
kaliṁ digvijaye kvacit
nṛpa-liṅga-dharaṁ śūdraṁ
ghnantaṁ go-mithunaṁ padā
[SB 1.16.4]

[break] [leads synonyms] [break]

[03:25]

Translation = "Once, when Mahārāja Parīkṣit was on his way to conquer the world, he saw the master of Kali-yuga, who was lower than a śūdra, disguised as a king and hurting a cow and a bull by his leg. The King at once caught hold of him to deal sufficient punishment."

Prabhupāda: So it was the duty of the king to go on tour and see persons who are actually not abiding by the laws of Vedic principles. This is the duty of king. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13] = "In the human society I have divided four classes of men." Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam. Kṛṣṇa says, "I have done it."

So by nature, there are four classes of men. Anywhere you go you'll find four classes of men. First class = intelligent men. In whichever you take, you'll find not all of them of the same category. First class, second class, third class and fourth class. First class means the most intelligent class, scientists, philosophers, like that; mathematicians, great religionists. They're first-class men. The second class, administrator, to see that the government is going nicely, people are not unhappy, people are not suffering from thieves and rogues. That is the first business. Good government means that people will think that they're secure, their property and person is secure. There will be no harm. Not very many years ago, say about hundred years ago, in India the native states, the rule was that if something is lying on the streets, valuable or invaluable, so nobody should touch it.

The person who has lost or who has left that thing there, he would come and pick it up. You cannot touch. That was the law. And if one was caught, a thief, his hands will be cut off. In Kashmir state this was the rule. As soon as a thief is arrested and if he's proved that he has stolen, the only punishment is cut his throat, ah, cut his hands. Bās. Exemplary punishment so that nobody will dare to steal. So this is second class, administrators. And the third class are to produce money---businessmen, mercantile. Money is also required. So without money nothing can be done, so that is not... But that is the business, that is the occupation of..., the third class take. And the fourth class, śūdra. They cannot take any post as intelligent class or administrator class or money-producing class. They are simply servant, help others, śūdra. The śūdra was not meant for taking the political part.

Therefore it is said here, nṛpa-liṅga-dharaṁ śūdram. Nṛpa-liṅga-dharam. Liṅga means..., real meaning is "gender." Just the masculine gender, feminine gender. And the other meaning is "sign." Just like there are signs, certain signs, we can understand here is a male, here is a female, by the signs. So liṅgam means "signs," "symptom." So nṛpa-liṅga-dharam śūdra. Actually he was a śūdra, but he dressed like a king. Just like if a woman dresses like a man, that is artificial. Or a man dresses like woman, that is also artificial. So everyone has his original dress and position. There, because a śūdra took the dress of a king, therefore it is called nṛpa-liṅga-dharam. Artificially he was dressed like a king. That is the position of Kali-yuga. Now the government men, they are elected by votes. People do not consider whether he's a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vaiśya or śūdra. As he likes. People are śūdras. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ [Skanda Purāṇa]. In the Kali-yuga everyone is a śūdra. Therefore naturally he will elect one śūdra. The śūdra is not fit for government management. As such, we find so many difficulties in the government because the head or the head man, they are all śūdras. They have dressed like administrator, but they are śūdras. This is the symptom of Kali-yuga. There is no brāhmaṇa, there is no kṣatriya, there is no vaiśya. Maybe a few vaiśyas, and all śūdras. A brāhmaṇa means the good quality, first-class quality. That is very, very rare to be found.

So it was the business of the king to see that things are going on. First of all, there is classification = intelligent class, or brāhmaṇa; and the administrator class of kṣatriya; and the mercantile class, money-producing class. So everyone is engaged, and he's doing his own business. But this division must be there. Without division the society will be in chaos. The example is given... I have several times mentioned that, that just like in this body, there is division = the head division, the arms division, the belly division and the leg division. They are all required. You cannot say that simply legs will do. What about the head and arms? "I don't require." That is not... That dead body. That is dead body. Any part of the body, you cannot miss. They must be all in order; then your body is fit. Similarly, in the human society, the social body, there must be these classes = the head class, the arm class, the belly class and the leg class. Very scientific. You cannot simply...

If you have got intelligent class of man, but nobody is helping him, then what..., what will be the use of intelligence? The intelligent class must be there, but to help him the less intelligent class men also required. Just like if there are only intelligent class, that will be chaos. Nobody will care for anyone. Sometimes we'll find in our society, all intelligent class, and they fight each other. That's all. Everyone is thinking, "I am intelligent. I am boss. I must order you." And the other is thinking, "Why you shall be boss? I am also boss." So [laughs] fighting will go on. So this is going on. At the present moment there is no intelligent class of men. But kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ [Skanda Purāṇa]; therefore things are all in chaos. Everywhere you go, any part of the world, nobody is happy, either in family or community and society, nationwide, you take. Everyone is distrust, unhappiness, godlessness. Because the intelligent class of men is finished.

So the king, his duty was that if you are professing yourself as a brāhmaṇa, then it is the king's duty to see that you are acting as a brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa is not by birth but guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. Guṇa means quality. And karma, and work also. Simply "I have got now sacred thread, I have become brāhmaṇa, double initiated; now my business is finished. I can work, I can do whatever we like, like less than śūdra, caṇḍāla." No, sir. If you are initiated as a brāhmaṇa, you must act as a brāhmaṇa. Truthfulness, satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjava jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma [Bg. 18.42]---everything is there. A brāhmaṇa must be truthful. That is the first business of a brāhmaṇa---truthful. He will speak truth even before an enemy. Nobody speaks truth before an enemy, because he wants to hide something. But brāhmaṇa's business is to become truthful even before an enemy. That is stated.

There are many instances. Just like Satyakāma-jābāla. A boy, Satyakāma, he went to Gautama Muni = "Sir, I want to become your disciple." "Oh, very good. Are you brāhmaṇa or brāhmaṇa's son?" Formerly, in Vedic ways, nobody could be accepted as a disciple unless he's born in high-class family---brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya---especially brāhmaṇa. So this question was asked, "Which family you belong to?" So he said, "I do not know what is my classification." "Now, who is your father?" "That I do not know." "Ask your mother." Then he went to his mother, "Who is my father?" "My dear boy, I do not know." So actually his mother was maidservant. So maidservants have so many men, and by whom she was pregnant she cannot remember. She also told the truth. And this Satyakāma, he also came to Gautama Muni, he said, "Sir, my father..., my mother also do not know who is my father." "Oh, that's all right. You are a brāhmaṇa, because you are truthful. You do not hide yourself, that 'I am a prostitute's son.' You say this is the position = 'I am plainly speaking that my mother does not know who is my father. I do not know.' " So because he was truthful... That is the symptom of brāhmaṇa. He accepted, "Yes, I'll accept you as my disciple."

Indian man: Prabhupāda, how did Kārna...?

Prabhupāda: You do... Don't disturb. So this is the process, that the four castes---brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya... They were caste system when they actually things were going on. Just like a carpenter = his son naturally becomes a carpenter by seeing the father's work. So he can be very easily classified as a carpenter. Similarly, formerly, the brāhmaṇa family, kṣatriya family, vaiśya family, they were following the rules and regulations in such a way that naturally a brāhmaṇa's son became a brāhmaṇa. Because he has learned already the brāhmaṇa principle from the parent, so naturally little touch will make him... That is initiation. Even though one is born in a brāhmaṇa family, why does he require initiation and sacred thread ceremony? Because simply by taking birth in a brāhmaṇa family one does not become a brāhmaṇa. He has to be raised to the brāhmaṇa standard. Otherwise, there was no initiation, there was no necessity of initiation or offering the sacred thread. That is called saṁskāra. Otherwise, by birth everyone is śūdra. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. So it is very good that one has taken his birth in a brāhmaṇa family, but provided he has learned the brāhmaṇa's activities nicely from the parent, he is brāhmaṇa. Kiṁ punar brāhmaṇaḥ puṇyaḥ [Bg. 9.33].

But if he deviates from the family principle... Just like in the śāstra it is said that in a higher class family, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, especially brāhmaṇa, if the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra is not accepted, the whole family becomes śūdra. Garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. That means begetting the child, there is a ceremony which is called garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. So in the Kali-yuga practically no saṁskāra is performed. Therefore in the śāstra it is said, kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ [Skanda Purāṇa]. So Vedic process, Vedic principles of accepting, it is not possible in this Kali-yuga, because the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra is not there. In nobody's family there the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra is taken. Sex life is also regulated by garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, dharmāviruddhaḥ kāmo 'smi [Bg. 7.11]. Aviruddha, "Sex life which is not against the religious principles, that I am. That sex life I am," Kṛṣṇa says. "I am that sex life." That is godly. But sex life for sense gratification or for prostitution, that is not Kṛṣṇa. That is Kali. So this is the process.

So it was the duty of the king to see that if a man is professing himself as a brāhmaṇa, he must act as a brāhmaṇa. That was the duty. Otherwise, he should be punished. Just like here. This śūdra, he was presenting himself as a kṣatriya, nṛpa-liṅga-dharam. Therefore he was punished. Not that the king is callous = "Let him do whatever he likes." Just like now our, everywhere, the government, it doesn't care whether you are acting as a brāhmaṇa, śūdra, or whatever nonsense you are doing. Doesn't care. "You pay me tax, that's all. Bring your tax, income tax, and everything, then you are free, whatever you are doing." That was not the duty of the king. The king's duty is to see that actually one who is presenting himself as brāhmaṇa, he's acting as a brāhmaṇa, he has acquired the qualities of a brāhmaṇa. Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. He has got the quality and acting. Similarly, a kṣatriya also, he must act as a kṣatriya. Similarly, vaiśya. These are all, statements, are there in the Bhagavad-gītā, you know. Kṛṣi-gorakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam [Bg. 18.44]. Śauryaṁ tejo yuddhe cāpy apalāyanam īśvara-bhāvaś ca kṣātraṁ karma svabhāva-jam [Bg. 18.43]. Everything is given. Paricaryātmakaṁ karma śūdrasyāpi svabhāva-jam. Everything is given there. So it is the duty of the government, that this man is professing as a brāhmaṇa, as a kṣatriya or a vaiśya, whether he is acting, or whether he's cheating others. No cheating will be allowed. That is government's duty.

So here, this man was cheating. Because here it is said, nṛpa-liṅga-dharam. He was dressed like a king, just like king is very gorgeously dressed, but his bodily feature, he was a black man. The black man means śūdra. The brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, they were not black. But the śūdras were black. From external point of view, these things are there. Śūdras, another name is kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means black. So this black man was dressed like a king, and what was he..., was he going to do? Ghnantaṁ go-mithunaṁ padā. He was trying to kill a pair of cow and bull. So naturally he could understand. Parīkṣit Mahārāja was going on tour, and on his way he saw that this rascal is dressed like a king and he's trying to kill cows and bulls. Oh, he immediately chastised him. Nṛpa---he has dressed like a king, but his business is like śūdra or less than śūdra. Butchers, butchers cannot be intelligent class of men, brāhmaṇa. A brāhmaṇa is not butcher. Neither a kṣatriya. Kṣatriya fights, kills, but in regular religious fight. Not that by whimsically he'll fight and kill men. No. So here it is said, nijagrāhaujasā vīraḥ. A kṣatriya must be vīra, hero. Whenever there is injustice, he must immediately come forward. "Why injustice? These poor animals, they are also my subject. How you can kill them? He's also born in this land." "National" means one is born in that particular land. So they are also born in this land. Why he should be treated differently? Just like in your country, even one Indian gets his child here, the child is counted as USA-born, US citizen, eh? Immediately. So if that is the law, that anyone born in this land should be treated as national, what is this law that the cows and the bulls born in that land, they are to be slaughtered? What is this law?

So it is the duty of the king, emperor... Immediately detected that "Why these poor animals are being killed? They are also subject to the laws of the state." As the human being requires protection, similarly, the cows... Not only cows; everyone requires protection by the government. Why they should be not protected? Therefore because the protection was not given to the cows and the bulls, he immediately took him that "This rascal is not a kṣatriya; he's a śūdra. In the dress of a king, he's doing mischievous activities. Immediately punish him." This is government's duty. If anyone... Just like, anyone is breaking law, it is the duty of the government to chastise him, similarly, the law should be... Exact good government law means that anyone who kills an animal without sanction... Of course, they now give sanction that "Yes, you can kill as many animals in the slaughterhouse as you like," because the government is śūdra. Government, it is not kṣatriya. So therefore is no protection. Why animal? Even a human being, if he's being killed on the street, on the broad [indistinct], nobody cares for it. So this is the position. But Parīkṣit Mahārāja was not such a king or such a head of the executive... He immediately punished. Therefore it is mentioned specially, ojasā vīraḥ kalim: Kali is to be punished.

The Kali begins with this animal killing. That is Kali-yuga. Meat-eating. Therefore, to avoid the influence of Kali we have to give up this habit. The four things are Kali's disciple, friends. We have already discussed this. So one friend is this meat-eating problem, the butchers, Kali's friends. And the liquor distiller, he's also Kali's friend. And the gamblers or the gambling house maintainer, and prostitute house maintainer, these are friends of Kali. Now you will find all over the world these things are very prominent---clubs and butcher house and liquor house and gambling house. Therefore the whole atmosphere is Kali.

So because it is now Kali age, just like winter season, everywhere is cold, chilliest, so similarly. because this is the age of Kali, therefore even in India... This king, Mahārāja Parīkṣit, was in India. He wanted to chastise this rascal in the dress of a king and attempting kill cows. So this was in India. Maybe in other place also, because the king was touring. So not only in India; all over the world the Vedic civilization was there. Five thousand years ago, everywhere the..., all people used to follow the Vedic principles. That is the proof. Because the king was following the Vedic principles. So this cow-killing by the Kali, it is said it was done on the border of India, somewhere near Sindhu Pradesh, so Afghanistan, like that. So anyway, it was on this planet, and he wanted to prohibit. But India is the center. This king, Mahārāja Parīkṣit, his headquarter was Hastināpura, near New Delhi at the present moment. Hastināpura. There is a place still, Hastināpura. There is one broken fort also. They say this fort belonged to the Pāṇḍavas. People go there to see. Anyway, now the king was so strict that even outside India some cow was being attempted to be killed, he immediately took his sword to punish him. Now in India they are killing ten thousand cows daily. This is Kali-yuga. Still, they have got some sentiment about cow-killing. There was about say five or six years ago, there was good agitation. But who cares for that? Because the government is śūdra = nṛpa-liṅga. They have taken the position of government, but they are all full of śūdras. Now in India not only killing cows... We had never seen... In Bombay this time I saw in our Juhu---big, big signboards = beef shop. Beef shop. So Hindus are there also now taking. I asked one lady, she was meat-eater. So I asked her, "Do you eat cow's meat, cow's flesh?" "Yes, sometimes." So this is Kali-yuga. Now government is encouraging drinking and meat-eating. And illicit sex, that is..., that has become now a common affair, anywhere you go. Why you should..., you should have to go to brothel? Even big, big other places. I don't wish to mention. You see.

So this is the age of Kali. So simply full of sinful activities, that's all. That is Kali-yuga. But sinful activities will not help us. That they have no brain to understand. You have to purify yourself. Sinful activities will involve you more and more in the cycle of birth and death. You will take sometimes birth as a king or as a demigod, and sometimes as the worm of the stool. Because according to your karma, you will get next body. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa [SB 3.31.1]. Therefore the process is at least don't act sinfully. Then you will get higher-class birth. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ [Bg. 14.18]. You will get chance of taking your birth in higher planetary system where the standard of living is many, many thousands better than this planet. Just like Svargaloka, Janaloka. From our śāstra we understand that the inhabitants of Candraloka, moon planet, they live for ten thousands of years. But these rascals are going there, they do not find any living entity. So that is the contradiction. But we believe that in the moon planet... And why we shall not believe? If the living entities are found everywhere, so why..., what moon planet has done that there should be no living entity? From our experience we can see living entity is there on the land, in the air, in the water, even in the fire. So every planet is made of these five elements = earth, water, fire, air, sky. So we find by practical experience that in the water there is living entity, on the land there is living entity, within the land there is living entity. So why in the moon planet or other planet there should be no living entity? That's a wrong theory.

Long, long ago, sometimes in 1930, I had a talk in Allahabad with a great scientist, Dr. Shah. He said that there is no reason to disbelieve that in other planets there is no living entity. And recently one Russian scientist also said that there are many planets where very, very intelligent class of men are there. So that is our theory, that the..., if you go to the higher planetary system, you will find more comfortable standard of life, the duration of life is very long, and the people are very, very intelligent. They are called demigods. So whatever it may be, we have to follow our own principle, and there is no reason to disbelieve that in other planets there are no living entities. We cannot accept it.

So anyway, in every planet there is kingdom or there is government. Because in the Bhagavad-gītā we understand, Kṛṣṇa says,

imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ
proktavān aham avyayam
vivasvān manave prāha
manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt
[Bg. 4.1]

Kṛṣṇa said that "This philosophy, this Bhagavad-gītā yoga system, I first of all explained to the sun-god, whose name is Vivasvān." He spoke the same principle to his son Manu, and Manu also spoke the same principle to his son, Ikṣvāku. So Ikṣvāku came from the sun planet. He happens to be the grandson of Vivasvān. So how you can say that in the sun planet there is no possibility of life? We get the history. And if you say that "In fire how one can live?" No. As we see that in water some other living entities can live, similarly, I may not be able to live in the fire, but there are other living entities who can live there. That should be the right conclusion. Because fire is as good another material element as the water is. As water is also one of the material elements, fire is also one of the eight material elements. So if we can see by our practical experience there are living entities in the water, so why not living entities in the fire? And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that living entity, this spiritual spark, is not affected by material influence. In the Vedas also it is said, asaṅgo hy ayaṁ puruṣaḥ [Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.15]. It has nothing to do with this material condition. Adāhyo 'yam [Bg. 2.24]. This special word is used that it cannot burned by the fire. Aśoṣyam, it cannot be dried up by air. Acchedyam, it cannot be cut into pieces. These things are there. So we are firmly convinced that in the sun planet there is also living entity, and the king or the president there is called Vivasvān, his name is Vivasvān. And our gāyatrī-mantra is worshiping the sun planet = oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyaṁ bhargo devasya dhīmahi. So this is the Vedic conception. Every planet there is king, and the king's duty is to see that everyone is executing his professional occupational duty.

So Mahārāja Parīkṣit also, he used to go for examining. Therefore it is said, digvijaye kvacit. Not that at a particular time he went out to..., for touring. But he was going, say, yearly or six-monthly. And one of his tour he found that a person dressed like a king was attempting to kill cows, and he punished him. So this is the statement.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. [end]

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Srila Prabhupada speaks on: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.15.47–48

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.15.47–48

Los Angeles, Dec. 25, 1973

Audio for this lecture: https://prabhupadavani.org/transcriptions/731225sbla/
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Pradyumna: Translation = "Thus by pure consciousness due to constant devotional remembrance, they attained the spiritual sky, which is ruled over by the Supreme Nārāyaṇa, Lord Kṛṣṇa. This is attained only by those who meditate upon the one Supreme Lord without deviation. This abode of the Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, known as Goloka Vṛndāvana, cannot be attained by persons who are absorbed in the material conception of life. But the Pāṇḍavas, being completely washed of all material contamination, attained that abode in their very same bodies." [SB 1.15.47-48]

Prabhupāda: Tad-dhyāna udriktayā. Dhyāna means meditation. So the Pāṇḍavas, always they were thinking of Kṛṣṇa. While they were eating, they were sitting, they were sleeping, they were talking, they were fighting---Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When Arjuna was fighting, so there was also Kṛṣṇa. When they were dealing in politics with Duryodhana, there was Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is his friend, always talking with him, staying with him, sleeping with him, eating with him.

So anyone can do that. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice. If in our ordinary life we deal with Kṛṣṇa as Arjuna did and the Pāṇḍavas did, so where is the difficulty for us? There is no difficulty. Simply we have to practice it. And that practice is bhaktyā. Therefore it is said, tad-dhyāna udriktayā bhaktyā: this is only possible through devotional service. Kṛṣṇa was so near to the Pāṇḍavas on account of their devotion. Nārada Muni eulogized the Pāṇḍavas, that "Jñānīs and yogīs, they cannot reach even, but by your devotion, He is living with you as friend. Not only as friend, but sometimes as your order-carrier." Pāṇḍavas sometimes, during their negotiation with Duryodhana, sometimes asked Kṛṣṇa, "Kṛṣṇa, You take this letter and deliver to Duryodhana." Agreed, "Yes, I will go." So ordinary peon. Then ordinary chariot driver, Pārtha-sārathi.

So this is possible. If you become devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then you can live with Kṛṣṇa, face to face, talk with Kṛṣṇa, eat with Kṛṣṇa, dance with Kṛṣṇa, even in this life. Even in this life. Because Kṛṣṇa is omnipotent, if you are really devotee of Kṛṣṇa, He will talk with you, He will dance with you, He will eat with you---everything. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena [Bs. 5.38]. Again this bhakti. By bhakti, prema, love.

Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva. Santaḥ, saintly person. This word, Sanskrit word, santa, is also I think Latin. "Saint," santa. Santa means saintly person. So santa, those who are saintly person, those who have developed love of Kṛṣṇa, they can see Kṛṣṇa every moment. Santaḥ sadaiva. Sadaiva means "every moment." They do not see anything except Kṛṣṇa. That is saintly person. Rascals inquire, "Have you seen God?" "Not seen God, sir. He is seeing every moment." There is no question of seeing God once. No. Sadaiva. Santaḥ sadaiva.

Now, how one can see sadaiva? Kṛṣṇa is already there. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati [Bg. 18.61]. The location is given there in the Bhagavad-gītā, that you can see God, not you have to go very far away from your place. Wherever you are, you can see, because God is within your heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe. Sarva-bhūtānām. Not only for human being, but also animals, beasts, trees, plants, aquatics, insect---everyone, beginning from Brahmā down to the ant. God is everywhere.

Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham [Bs. 5.35]. God is within this universe, within your heart, even within your atom. So where is the difficulty? Simply you have to make your eyes to see Him. That's all. That is premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena [Bs. 5.38]. Love. It is not very difficult to understand. If you love somebody, then you can see him always. When you are in office, you are seeing. When you are eating, you are seeing. You are going... If you are actually in love. So if it is possible materially, how much greatly it is possible spiritually and perfectly? It is possible, simply by this method, bhaktyā viśuddha-dhiṣaṇāḥ pare.

Viśuddha. Viśuddha means purified. Our consciousness is not purified at the present moment, but if we purify it... That purification also is possible simply by becoming in touch with Kṛṣṇa always. And this touch is very easily made possible = śṛṇvatām. This is the chance, śṛṇvatām. Śṛṇvatām means by hearing, by aural reception. Simply those who are coming here, even they do not know anything about it, but God has given this ear, and let him hear about Kṛṣṇa.

We are therefore discussing so many... We have written so many books simply about Kṛṣṇa. Not all books published---we have published about twenty books---but we have to finish it. It cannot be finished, but at least, to some extent, it will be finished by sixty books. And what is that subject matter? Kṛṣṇa. That's all. People cannot imagine that about God, sixty books can be written. There is no, I mean to say, system of religion where you can find... Not only... Sixty is the minimum. So minimum sixty books of four hundred pages can be written simply on God. So there is possible... If we divert our attention to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we can chant Kṛṣṇa---Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare. Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya [SB 12.3.51]. We can read about Kṛṣṇa whole life, such big literature. Whole life. If you read twenty-four hours daily---that you cannot---still, you have to devote your whole life to finish this literature.

So we have got enough material to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. My Guru Mahārāja was questioned by one big politician. He came to see him. So my Guru Mahārāja... He was asking, "What are your activities?" So at that time he was publishing one paper. I think it is still published in Māyāpur. It is called... What is called? Dainika? Daily news, it was a daily newspaper, small. Navadvīpa Prakash, like that. Nadiya Prakash. Nadiya Prakash. So daily. So this politician inquired from Guru Mahārāja, "You are publishing a daily paper about God consciousness?" "Yes." "No, what you are writing?" He was surprised. The politicians think that newspaper can be filled up with rubbish political news only. That's all. They cannot think that newspaper can be filled up by news from spiritual world. Yes. They have no idea. They have no idea there is spiritual world.

So my Guru Mahārāja explained that "Why you are thinking of only one small newspaper? You do not know what is spiritual world. This material world is one-fourth portion of the whole creation of the Lord. And the three-fourth portion is the spiritual world. And in this one-fourth portion there are innumerable universes. And in one of the universe... This is one of the universe. And in each universe there are millions of planets. And this planet, earthly planets, is only a small planet in that universe. And on this earthly planet, there are so many cities. And in each city, there are so many newspapers. And each newspaper has got so many editions. This is the position of the material world. Now, think over the spiritual world. It is...

The spiritual world is three-fourth, three times bigger than this material... And there are so many planets, so many universes, and so many activities. So we can produce not one newspaper daily, but every minute a newspaper. We can produce. Unfortunately, there is no customer. You see? This is the difficulty. For material news, there are so many customers, but when we put something spiritual news, no customer. This is the difficulty. Otherwise... You are thinking of one newspaper daily. We could issue every second a newspaper about spiritual news." So this sixty book is not sufficient. It is simply an introduction to the spiritual activities of the spiritual world. People have no interest. They do not know. We are simply trying to introduce it.

So this can be understood by viśuddha-dhiṣaṇāḥ, purified meditation. That is..., that requires practice, how to purify. Viśuddha-dhiṣaṇāḥ tasmin nārāyaṇa-pade. And it can be achieved by persons, ekānta-matayo gatim. A person who has decided, "Now, in this life, I must go back to home, back to Godhead," for him it is possible. This decision. So that is called... In Bhagavad-gītā it is described,

vyavasāyātmikā buddhir
ekeha kuru-nandana
bahu-śākhā hy anantāś ca
buddhi avyavasāyinām
[Bg. 2.41]

One who has decided that "This life, it is not ordinary life like the cats and dogs. It is human life. I have got advanced intelligence. And it is possible in this life to back to home, back to Godhead, athāto brahma jijñāsā, simply by cultivating spiritual knowledge. So why should I waste my time like cats and dogs?" This determination required. "The cats and dogs are busy in eating, sleeping, sex life, and one day dies. So why shall I waste my time in that way? I have got good intelligence. Kṛṣṇa has provided me better standard of life. I can lie in nice room, not like the cats and dogs on the street. Kṛṣṇa has provided for me so nice foodstuff which I can offer to Kṛṣṇa, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam [Bg. 9.26], so nice fruits, grains, milk. So let us utilize these things given by Kṛṣṇa."

Kṛṣṇa has given different foodstuff for different animals and human being. Kṛṣṇa has given stool for the pigs and so nice foodstuff, fruits and grains and milk, for the human being. Not that every food is for everyone. No. What is called? "One man's food, another man's poison." So the stool is also a kind of food. Everything is a kind of food. Even the stone is also food. You know? The pigeons, they eat the stones, particles. They can digest. For them, the hardest peas are supplied. So they can digest. Pāyarā-maṭara. It is called in India, pāyarā-maṭara. Pāyarā means pigeon. Pigeon's peas. They require such thing. Just like the gorilla. The gorilla animal, where they live in the African jungles---we have read book---there are trees, the fruits of that tree are so hard, harder than the iron bullet. You can hammer on the bullet, it may bend; but that fruit will not bend. So those fruits are taken by the gorillas, and they chew it just like you chew peanuts or something like that. Yes. [laughter]

So Kṛṣṇa has given different foodstuff for different animals. So for human being who is determined to go back to home, back to Godhead, they have got their food. For them, no meat-eating. For them, no meat-eating. For them, fine kachorī, rasagullā, purī, for them. As you are... I think Dr. Bernard Shaw, he wrote one book, You Are What You Eat. If you eat stool, then you are stool. Because after all, this body will be stool. Because after death, the result is either the body becomes stool or ash or earth. Those who are burying on the ground, in due course the body will turn into earth. That's all. And those who are burning, like in India, Hindus do, this will turn into ash. And those who are throwing for being eaten by the animals and birds... Just like Parsees do in India; they throw, and vultures come, and they eat it, within a second. So after eating, it will be stool of the vulture. That's all. So this beautiful body will be resulted in three things = either stool, earth or ash. And we are taking so much care---for stool, earth and ashes. And the occupier of the body? Forgotten. And we are advanced scientist. This is our position.

Therefore it is said, viśuddha-dhiṣaṇāḥ pare. Those who are purified in their thinking process... Those who are thinking, "I am this body," they are third-class rascals. The present world is simply full with third-class rascals. That's all. Because everyone is thinking, "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am white," "I am black," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian." So "I am this body." That's all. But they cannot. They cannot. Therefore it is said, virajena ātmanaiva. Virajena. Virajena means one who has become completely washed, cleansed, viraja. Raja. Raja means this material world, and vi means vigata, "without." Virajenaiva. And it is very difficult to come to this position. Therefore it is said, avāpur duravāpām. It is very difficult to come to this stage of life, but the Pāṇḍavas, avāpuḥ, they got it. And for whom it is very difficult? That is also = asadbhiḥ. Asadbhir viṣayātmabhiḥ.

Who is asat? Asat means that does not exist, or that will not exist. There are two things = one thing will exist permanently, and one thing will not exist. It may exist for few minutes or few hours or few years. So this material world is asat, because it will not exist. Just like your this material body, it will not exist. Everyone knows. Everyone knows that it is born at a certain date, it will continue for certain years, it will produce some by-products, it will change into different forms, and then it will become old and then dwindle, and one day finish. This is called ṣaḍ-vikāra, six kinds of changes. It is not progress. If one is progressing in his age, it is not progress. It means he is going to death.

Suppose I am seventy-eight years old. So I have... Seventy-eight years I have already died. Only, say two or five years, or something like, remaining balance. So people say "advanced age." No. Advanced in death, not advanced in age. So this is asat. It will not stay. It has begun to die from the very moment of his birth. If you ask a newly born child how old it is, the mother says, "It is one month old." So one month means he has already died one month. And balance months and years he has to die. Simply he has to wait for that death. So this kind of duration of life is called asat. And this kind of existence, the material existence, it also asat. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura therefore sings, sat-saṅga chāḍi' kainu asate vilāsa, te-kāraṇe lāgila mor karma-bandha-phāṅsa [Gaurā Pahu 3, from Prārthanā] = "I gave up sat-saṅga, oṁ tat sat, spiritual society. I associated myself with the material society. Therefore I am now entangled by karma, one after another, one after another."

So spiritual realization is difficult for person asadbhiḥ. Why it is difficult? Viṣayātmabhiḥ. Because they are simply attracted by the four principles of material life = eating, sleeping, sex life and, one day, death. They cannot. One must be above this interest. One must be very sane man, that "These kinds of interests are there in the animals. So if I am also interested in only these things, then where is the difference between this dog and me?" Something more.

That information is given in the Bhagavad-gītā = avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam [Bg. 2.17]. Yena sarvam idam. This body is perishable, asat. But there is another sat, means permanent thing. What is that? Avināśi tu tad viddhi. You try to understand that thing which is eternal. What is that? Yena sarvam idaṁ tatam, that which is spreading all over your body. You pinch your body, you feel pain. Why? Because there is consciousness. Therefore consciousness is permanent. And as soon as the consciousness is gone, you chopped up your hand, no response. So take... It is a very nice statement. Tat, that consciousness, is avināśi, is eternal. Where is the difficulty?

So those who are not interested to understand this consciousness and the origin of consciousness, they are asat. They cannot understand what is spiritual life. Therefore the beginning of spiritual life... In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that dehino 'smin yathā dehe [Bg. 2.13] = in this body, in this asat, this temporary body, there is the proprietor of the body. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe. The proprietor of the body. So that is to be understood. So how it can be understood? Vidhūta-kalmaṣāḥ. Those who are washed off of the sinful activities...

Therefore we prescribe that "Don't be associated with these sinful activities." What is that? Illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling. One who is washed off of these, vidhūta-kalmaṣā sthānam, that sthānam, that place, is virajena ātmanaiva vidhūta-kalmaṣāḥ... Those who are washed of. Otherwise it is not possible. If you think that "I shall do this and do that," then do this, not that. That is finished. You go on doing this, life after life, and remain in this material world. That is the point.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya... [end]

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